Mt. Shasta hasn't had much luck against Etna recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Bears will take on the Lions. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Mt. Shasta is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They walked away with a 10-5 win over Quincy. The Bears haven't had any issues with the Trojans recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Hayden Porteous
| 05/20/25 vs Quincy | 2 |
| 05/09/25 vs Trinity | 1 |
| 04/21/25 @ Los Molinos | 1 |
| 04/11/25 @ Fall River | 1 |
| 03/24/25 @ Yreka | 1 |
Hayden Porteous made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with three runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nick Mangrum, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Another player making a difference was Dylan Mcintyre, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Etna's rock-solid pitcher showed up for the team's third consecutive shutout on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Hamilton with a sharp 10-0 win. The Lions might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 13 matches by six runs or more this season.
Like Mt. Shasta, Etna also got a great game from a two-way player: Clayton Harris. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Harris was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, six RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Emmitt Griggs was excellent, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. Emmett Stacher was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple and one run.
Etna always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .520. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .520 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Etna pushed their record up to 17-7 with the victory, which was their 17th straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.9 runs on average over those games. As for Mt. Shasta, their record is now 15-11.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mt. Shasta has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Etna struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Mt. Shasta came out on top in a nail-biter against Etna in their previous meeting back in April, sneaking past 2-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bears since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
